Silvester D'Souza

Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Aug 31: In an incident which happened at the estuary near Kodi here on Thursday August 31 morning, a country boat engaged in fishing drowned. However, all the fishermen on board were rescued.

The country boat titled 'Sri Siddivinayaka Prasad’ had left the shore at 8 am on Thursday from Gangolli. Near the old estuary at Kodi, because of changes in climatic conditions, a huge wave lashed at the boat. The boat then went out of control of the fishermen and began to sink. Four persons in the boat swam to safety while two others valiantly struggled to stay alive. Local fishermen rushed to their help and saved them.

The two fishermen who faced grave situation, identified as Karun Kanchigodu (40) and Bhaskar Kharvi (44), both residents of Kanchigodu village, are being treated in a private hospital here. The other four, identified as Achyutha, Aju, Akshay and Ullas, are out of danger.

This boat tragedy has inflicted loss of lacs of rupees on the concerned. Police personnel attached to Gangolli station rushed to the spot.

Manju Billava, president of Country Boat Fishermen's Association, said that silt has accumulated near the mouth of the estuary as brake water work is going on there. "This is creating problems for fishermen of Gangolli to visit the port here. We have already requested the fisheries minister to alternatively provide us the opportunity to offload fish catches at Malpe, but so far this facility has not been extended to us. The minister should wake up to the gravity of the situation at least now, and temporarily provide us an opportunity to empty our fish catches at Malpe," he demanded.